The devices that are currently available for making contact between a control unit and the electrical connections of a functional element require a significant amount of structural space.
For example, German Patent Application No. 198 48 039 A1 discloses a device for making contact between a solenoid valve and an electronic control unit that is assigned to a valve block. The solenoid valves for the control unit project away from a side wall of the valve block. Contact elements of a solenoid of the solenoid valve are arranged on a side of the solenoid valve facing away from the valve block and are connected to the electronic control unit via a connecting means. This arrangement of the electronic control unit is undesirable in devices where the solenoid valves each project away from a side wall of the valve block in opposite directions relative to one another.
A brochure from BOSCH® about NG6 series D directional control valves, issue 2.0, discloses a device for making contact between a solenoid valve and an electronic control unit for a valve block where the electronic control unit is arranged on an upper side of the valve block. Located on the circumferential side of a solenoid of the solenoid valve is an adapter where contact elements arranged on a perimeter of the solenoid are electrically coupled to contact elements of the electronic control unit. This known device has a considerable structural space requirement, the cost of making contact between the solenoid valve and the electronic control unit being relatively high. BOSCH® is a registered trademark of Robert Bosch GmbH, a corporation of the Federal Republic of Germany, having a place of business at Robert-Bosch-Platz, 1 Gerlingen, Federal Republic of Germany D-70839.
German Patent Application No. 197 27 414 A1 discloses a solenoid for a valve that has a hollow cylindrical winding support with a winding receptacle for accommodating a winding wire. Contact pins of the solenoid accessible from the outside are injected into the winding support. A disadvantage in this known solenoid is that additional electric connecting means must be provided to connect the contact pins to the ends of the winding wire.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.